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The report provides a comprehensive inventory of state-level renewable energy siting policies in the United States and Puerto Rico. It details which government entities hold jurisdictional authority for permitting large-scale wind and solar projects, examines established timelines for these processes, and outlines requirements for public involvement. Additionally, the document assesses the availability of model ordinances and permitting guides intended to support local jurisdictions.

The briefing examines the challenges and opportunities of developing lithium in Sonora, Mexico. It highlights the tension between the global demand for clean energy minerals and the local risks of ecological damage and cartel co-option. The author criticizes the current state-led energy model, citing the debt of Pemex and the prioritization of carbon-intensive power, and suggests that Mexico should instead focus on moving up the value chain into refinement and battery production through international partnerships and stakeholder consultation.

The document argues that the U.S. coal fleet is already in a sustained economic decline, making the EPA's emissions rules a catalyst for prudent utility planning rather than a source of economic or reliability risk. It asserts that the 2032 compliance timeline is sufficient for utilities to procure replacement resources, citing hundreds of gigawatts of 'shovel-ready' projects in interconnection queues. The authors maintain that 'baseload' coal is no longer necessary for grid stability, as portfolios of wind, solar, battery storage, and low-utilization gas can meet peak loads and growing demand without compromising reliability.

The briefing outlines how the EU can sustain its climate leadership following the June 2024 elections by linking emissions reductions to energy security, consumer cost savings, and industrial competitiveness. It highlights the success of the RePowerEU Plan in reducing Russian gas imports and notes that wind and solar power saved EU consumers approximately EUR 100 billion between 2021 and 2023. The document emphasizes that investing in green technology and implementing social safety nets, such as retraining programmes, will ensure the transition is competitive and inclusive.

The report evaluates the transition plans of Enel, ENGIE, EPH, Iberdrola, and Statkraft, finding that none have committed to phasing out fossil gas power in Europe or the OECD by 2035. While Iberdrola and Statkraft are highlighted as following better practices by focusing on sustainable power solutions, EPH is identified as an industry laggard with a strategy heavily reliant on coal and gas. Enel and ENGIE are described as having conflicting strategies that combine renewable growth with continued fossil gas development and reliance on immature technologies like hydrogen and CCUS. The analysis emphasizes that current CAPEX allocations for several utilities remain too high for fossil fuels to meet the IEA's Net-zero Emissions by 2050 scenario.

The author contends that the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline would undermine China's energy security by increasing dependence on Russia, create unnecessary capital expenditure in an oversaturated market, and conflict with China's goal to peak carbon emissions by 2030.

Germany invested USD 89.12 billion in clean technologies in 2023, representing 29% of total EU investment. While China dominates wind and solar PV, Germany maintains a leadership position in the EU for battery and heat pump manufacture. The document highlights a significant global investment opportunity, with renewable technologies and battery storage potentially reaching USD 5.68 trillion by 2050. However, Germany faces risks from the aggressive industrial policies of the US (such as the Inflation Reduction Act) and China, which may lead companies like Tesla and Northvolt to scale back German operations. The briefing argues that a more robust industrial strategy is required to prevent a repeat of the collapse seen in Germany's solar and wind sectors around 2012 and 2016.

The document examines the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program, which provides up to $250 billion in low-interest loans to transition the US power sector to clean energy. It proposes a 'capital recycling' method where utilities use EIR loans to refinance 'low-quality' rate base components—such as the costs of retiring fossil plants—into 'high-quality' clean energy assets. Through case studies of Alliant Energy in Iowa and Ameren in Missouri, the report demonstrates that moderate EIR leverage combined with capital recycling can significantly reduce ratepayer costs (by 13% to 18% in the examples) while maintaining stable, lower-risk earnings for shareholders. The brief also compares EIR to securitization, noting EIR's lower transaction costs and interest rates, and outlines federal compliance requirements including NEPA, the Davis-Bacon Act, and the Cargo Preference Act.

Analysis of draft NECPs indicates that while EU member states have significantly increased wind and solar targets since 2019, the current trajectory falls short of REPowerEU goals. Renewables are projected to generate 66% of EU electricity by 2030, missing the 72% target. The report highlights a lack of data transparency in the drafts, particularly regarding power system flexibility and post-2030 decarbonisation pathways.

The text examines the role of energy communities in mitigating the 'green backlash' and far-right growth in Europe. It contrasts industrial-scale renewable projects, which often exclude rural populations in countries like Spain and Greece, with community-led initiatives that prioritize socio-environmental benefits over profit. The author highlights that community energy projects can provide up to eight times more economic benefit to local economies than private projects. Examples of innovation include agri-photovoltaic projects in Greece and North Macedonia, and a biomass heating network in Spain. The document calls for EU and member state support to ensure that the energy transition is inclusive and democratic, preventing profits from accruing only to large companies.

In April 2024, fossil fuel generation in the EU fell to a record monthly low of 23%, with coal and gas both seeing significant declines. This shift was driven by record-high wind and solar output, which together provided 34% of electricity, and a recovery in hydropower. Consequently, the EU power sector's emissions in April reached a record low of 38 million tonnes of CO2, contributing to an 18% year-on-year decrease in emissions for the first four months of 2024 despite a slight recovery in electricity demand.

In 2023, solar and wind power continued to grow, with solar producing a record 5.5% of global electricity and wind reaching 7.8%. China was the primary driver for both, accounting for 51% of solar growth and 60% of wind additions. Conversely, coal generation reached a record high of 10,434 TWh (35% of the global mix), largely due to droughts in China reducing hydropower output, which fell by a record 88 TWh. Fossil gas remained the second-largest source at 23%, with growth driven by the US. Nuclear generation saw a slight rebound to 9.1% of the mix, while bioenergy reached a record 697 TWh (2.4%). The report notes that while solar and wind are on a positive trajectory, coal and gas must decline sharply, and nuclear and hydro must accelerate growth to meet IEA Net Zero Emissions targets by 2030.

In 2023, the world's top six electricity sector emitters—China, the US, India, the EU, Russia, and Japan—accounted for approximately 72% of global emissions from this sector. China remains the largest emitter, though it leads the world in wind and solar growth. The US and EU have seen long-term emissions declines driven by the replacement of coal with gas and renewables. India's emissions continue to rise as demand growth outpaces clean energy additions. Russia's electricity mix remains largely unchanged over two decades, while Japan is seeing a recovery in nuclear generation and a significant increase in solar share, despite very low wind deployment.

In 2023, the share of renewables in the global electricity mix exceeded 30% for the first time, driven by record solar and wind generation. Despite this, total power sector emissions reached a record high of 14,153 million tonnes of CO2 because clean growth could not fully meet rising demand and was hampered by a record fall in hydropower. While carbon intensity hit a record low of 480 gCO2/kWh, fossil generation increased by 135 TWh, primarily in emerging economies like China and India where droughts reduced hydro output.

The report identifies 2023 as the likely peak for global power sector emissions, forecasting a decline in 2024 driven by record solar and wind additions. While electricity demand is expected to rise due to electrification, data centres, and air conditioning, the growth of clean energy is projected to outpace this demand. The document highlights that tripling renewable capacity by 2030 could halve power sector emissions. It also provides case studies of China, Brazil, and the Netherlands to demonstrate how high-level ambition, incentive mechanisms, and the removal of technical barriers can accelerate the transition regardless of geographic or economic starting points.

The briefing explains how Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) serve as a tool for utilities to secure federal funding via the Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) program while reducing project risks. It details how meaningful community engagement can prevent costly project delays and cancellations, how workforce training and unionization improve operational efficiency, and how addressing energy poverty and diversity goals enhances a utility's social license to operate and ESG performance.

The report highlights that EU power system flexibility needs are expected to double by 2030 as renewables are projected to reach 66% of electricity generation. It identifies battery storage and demand side flexibility (DSF) as critical but under-utilised tools to replace fossil fuel backup and reduce renewable curtailment. While battery capacity doubled to 16 GW in 2023, the report notes a significant lack of explicit 2030 targets for storage and DSF in national policy documents. It calls for improved data transparency, the removal of regulatory barriers for distributed energy resources, and the inclusion of flexibility targets in National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).

The document argues that rapid deployment of clean flexibility—specifically battery storage, demand-side flexibility, and grids—is essential to avoid renewable energy curtailment and price cannibalisation in the EU. It recommends that Member States integrate clean flexibility into National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) and national strategies before 2026, introduce curtailment caps for countries with over 50% renewable generation, and create local constraint markets. Additionally, it calls for legal frameworks that allow distributed flexibility sources to participate in energy markets, improved data transparency on network congestion and storage capacity, and the use of time-of-use tariffs to incentivise consumer participation while protecting low-income households.

Between 2000 and 2023, 80% of major U.S. power outages were caused by weather, with a significant increase in frequency during the last decade. Severe weather, winter storms, and tropical cyclones are the primary drivers, with Texas and the Southeast region among the most affected. The document highlights the vulnerability of aging infrastructure and the disproportionate impact on marginalized and medically vulnerable populations, while suggesting grid hardening, microgrids, and emissions reductions as paths toward resilience.

Reclaim Finance criticizes ENGIE's Climate Plan for failing to commit to a non-expansion of fossil fuels, specifically noting LNG contracts extending beyond 2040. The analysis argues that ENGIE's reliance on technologies like hydrogen and CCUS, combined with insufficient renewable energy growth, risks locking the company into fossil infrastructure and missing net-zero targets before 2045.